


this is halloween

by CapnShellhead (CapnWinghead)



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Fluff, Halloween, Hurt/Comfort, Hypochondria, Light Angst, M/M, Paranoia, Protective Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-11-09 11:36:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20852786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapnWinghead/pseuds/CapnShellhead
Summary: It's Halloween night and Eddie is having trouble giving the "ok" for Richie to take their daughter Trick or Treating.





	this is halloween

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at writing this pairing so, please be gentle with me. I kept thinking about how Eddie would be as an extremely overprotective parent and how Richie would try to help him through it. Gotta say, it was fun to think about them as parents!
> 
> Drop me a line and let me know what you think!
> 
> I hope you like it!

Eddie’s hands were drenched in blood. 

Fake blood, that Richie had bought way too much of from the costume shop. Abigail’s tiny little fingers were sticky with the stuff. No doubt Eddie would be finding handprints along the walls and furniture for days. He’d watched Richie lay the tarp down and dump the bottle over her head as she spun around in circles. Most little girls wanted to be princesses or Amazonian warriors. 

Their little girl wanted to be Sweeney Todd.

Kneeling down, Eddie tugged on the hem of her miniature vest, glaring up at Richie where he stood nearby. “Are you sure this is such a good idea?”

“For the last time, babe, I did the checklist. She has her inhaler. She has a backup inhaler sewn into the little pocket in her costume. She has an emergency pager and, oh yeah, she’ll have _me_ standing beside her the entire night. Give me a little credit.” 

Frowning, Eddie’s gaze fell to Abby’s hazel eyes in worry. Hands gripped his arm and tugged him into standing, Richie’s eyes soft where his tone was teasing. “It’ll be fine. We’ve tackled more than one night of Trick or Treating in a frou frou neighborhood. Hey, look at me,” he cupped Eddie’s face, waiting until he had his full attention. “We’re just going one time around the block. We’ll be back before you even notice we’re gone.”

And Eddie knew that. He understood that – just as he understood every “crisis” before had been handled with minimal tears and bloodshed. Even so, there was that panic, that bold, flashing warning sign that went off inside his head at the mere thought of having his four-year-old daughter out of his sight for more than a few seconds. He’d wanted one of those tracker chips the rich marketed to equally rich parents but Richie said he wasn’t allowed to be that paranoid.

After what they’d gone through, why the hell not? They knew firsthand how easy it was for kids to go missing. Hell, when they’d been younger, they’d disappeared for more than a few hours down in the disgusting, muggy sewers of Derry and he’d broken his arm and they’d nearly _died_\--

“Daddy?” Abby asked, tugging on his shirt sleeve. Focusing in, Eddie realized he’d picked her up and held her tight to his chest, his hand on the back of her head. Taking a deep breath, he stroked her curls for a moment before he returned to Richie. 

Brow furrowed in concern, blue eyes holding his as Richie reached out to stroke her back gently. His voice low, “Sweetheart, maybe it’d be okay if we stayed in with Daddy and watched a movie.” At Eddie’s face, he cleared his throat, putting some pep into it. “We could watch Nightmare Before Christmas. You love that one!”

Abby twisted in Eddie’s grip, sitting back on his forearm as she touched the spattering of fake blood on his shirt. “Candy?”

Eddie’s heart hadn’t quite slowed but the pout on her little face made his insides twist in regret. It was disturbingly similar to the look Richie gave him when he gave him grief about something. Chewing on his lip, he looked to Richie in question. “You’ll be with her all night?”

“Of course.”

“You won’t take your eyes off of her for a second?” 

“I promise.”

“Not one second, Richie,” he demanded. He set her down, straightening her vest as Richie grumbled what sounded like a few curse words but Eddie would make him pay for that later. He rested his hands on her sides, his voice firm. “You can go but Dad’s going to hold your hand the whole night. Understand?”

She nodded, her eyes lighting up excitedly. It warmed him, even as he felt that familiar chill at preparing to say goodbye. “Uh huh.”

“No running away or chasing after other kids or squirrels or dogs or—”

“Jesus Christ, E. She’s not a damn Labrador Retriever.” 

Eddie pulled her into a hug, giving Richie the finger as he did. Pulling back, he ran a hand over her curls before stepping back. “Okay, you can go.” Abby cheered as Richie pulled her into his arms, starting towards the door, her candy bucket hanging from his forearm. “Don’t eat anything before I can inspect it! Okay?”

Richie waved goodbye, closing the door and hoisting Abby higher on his waist. “Okay?” Eddie called out, getting no response.

Sighing, he paced a few steps in the foyer and tried to calm himself.

+

By the time Eddie had gone through all the candy with a fine-toothed comb and ran it through the usual checks, he piled the ridiculous amount of sugar into her candy bucket and laid down on the bed, resting his cheek on the pillow. 

There was a quiet click and he looked up to find Richie leaving the bathroom, rubbing lotion on his hands. He offered a smile, climbing into bed behind him. After a moment, he let out a huff and tugged Eddie into his arms, petting his arm softly. 

“C’mere, asshole.”

“You owe the swear jar five bucks,” he chided, fighting a smile. “Asshole,” he added. 

Richie laughed, the sound warming Eddie the way it always had. Even when it was at his expense. Richie breathed in deep, his hand slowing on Eddie’s wrist. His thumb trailed over the pulse point, a sure sign he was hesitant. 

“She had a great time tonight,” he whispered. Eddie stiffened, feeling Richie’s thumb trace over his skin softly. “You should have seen her, E. Marched right up to every doorstep and rang the bell herself. And she was so _polite_. ‘Trick or Treat, please’. ‘Thank you, ma’am’,” he imitated, pride in his voice. “She sure as shit didn’t get that from me.”

He shook Eddie gently, kissing the back of his neck and his shoulder. “That’s all you, babe.”

“I didn’t want her to go in the first place, Richie.”

A pause. “I know.” He pulled back as Eddie turned over, the look on his face softening Riche’s tone. “I know you didn’t. But you changed your mind, I worked my pretty little ass off making her that costume, she had a great time and nothing bad happened. She’s safe. We’re safe.”

Eddie nodded, averting his gaze as his voice grew rough. “I don’t want her to turn out like me.” Richie was quiet, his hand lying flat on the bed. Eddie looked to him, his eyes warm. “Richie, she can’t turn out like me.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” He took Eddie’s hand, squeezing it tight. “You’re amazing.”

“I’m scared of everything. All the time. Shit you don’t even think about. What if – what if there’s a flood and the pharmacy’s closed and she loses her inhaler on the bus and her emergency inhaler doesn’t work? What if she loses her lunch box on the bus and has to use her emergency money to buy a hot lunch and she gets some type of incurable disease or e coli or something worse? What if there’s some unknown killer disease that runs in her family that the adoption agency didn’t know about? What if there’s something wrong with you – because god knows there’s always something wrong with me -- and she’s an orphan? What if I trip carrying her up the stairs one day—”

Richie pulled him in tight, his breathing heavy and wet on Eddie’s neck. He stroked his back carefully, his grip tight and firm around Eddie’s waist. “You won’t.”

“But what if I do, Richie? I can’t do this. I’m not cut out for it.” He took in a shuddering breath, letting out a soft laugh as his eyes spilled over. “She can’t turn out like me. Everything scares the shit out of me and I know you think my mom did a real number on me but that’s the point. She loved me and she was trying to protect me, in her own way. And I – I can’t turn around and do that to Abby. I can’t lay this kind of crap on her, too.”

Richie cursed, pulling back to kiss his forehead. “Did you not just hear what I said? That girl went out there tonight and she was _fearless_.” His eyes crinkled in the corners, smile widening as Eddie listened raptly. “Even surrounded by all those bigger kids, she was the bravest little kid out there. We even went past the Marsden’s and Burt had that scary ass mummy out front – you know, the one that screams and tries to snatch the kids? She didn’t even flinch. She’s tough as hell.”

Eddie laughed, wiping at his eyes. “That’s all you.”

“Believe me, I would _love_ to take the credit, but you’re responsible for some of it. At least like thirty percent. Maybe thirty-five.” Eddie jabbed his chest, shaking his head when Richie snatched his hand. “She’s not going to turn out just like you. But, for the record, if she did, she’d still be the most amazing kid in the world because you’re the most amazing man that I've ever met.” 

Eddie quieted, his eyes widening. Squeezing Richie’s hand, he leaned in closer. “See, you say things like that and for a second, I think you got switched out with a pod person because there’s no way you’ve always been this sweet.” He kissed him softly, deepening it as Richie opened for him. Pulling back a bit, he whispered, “It’s sappy and I’m going to give you shit for it tomorrow morning. Letting you know now.”

“How come you don’t owe like five hundred dollars to that freaking swear jar?” he muttered, climbing over Eddie and pulling at his shirt.


End file.
